Screw drives



M. R. PRICE SCREW DRIVER Feb. 2s, 1950 original Filed Jan.. 12, 19:59

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A INVENTOR.

PTANLEY R. pme E.

f/4, )j 7 ATToggNEY.

Reissued Feb. 28, 1950 23,201 scnnw nmvsn Manley it. Price, Lakewood, Ohio original No. 2,235,235, una Mann 1s, masel'lal No. 250,599, Janury 1,2, 1939.

Application for reissue October 10, 1949, Serial No. 120,581

Matter enclosed in heavy brackets I: Il appears in the original patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue Claims.

ciilcally is concerned with an improvement in' tools for driving suchfastening members in locations which are already marked on the work, as by depressions or sockets.

The invention will be described principally as adapted for applying screws for holding perforated acoustical tile to a suitable backing, for instance, as illustrated in my prior application, Serial No. 203,046, led April 20, 1938, now Patent No. 2,160,794 in which are shown, but not claimed, portions of the tool hereof.

An object is to provide an improvement in tools for purposes such as mentioned above.

A specific. object is to provide a, convenient means for applying fastening members, such as screws, to secure one part to another so that the force with which the fastener is driven into final position is limited, to the end that where `a plurality of fasteners are to be applied, as at the corners of a slab or tile, all the fasteners will hold the slab or tile with the same force.

Another object is to provide a simple means for aligning a fastener with the axis of a tool part such as a screw driver or nail set so that the point of the fastener will remain centered on such tool axis during starting of the driving operation on the fastener.

A further object is to provide a simple device for locating a fastener-driving tool and the fastener with reference to a depression or socket, or a particular one of a plurality thereof, in the work.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description relating to the accompanying drawing showing n ship of the device to the portion of the tile shown l in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the tool device, fastener, and tile, when the fastener has been driven into nal position, also a modification of part of the tool. Fig. 4 is a frag'- mentary view similar to Fig. 2 showing a further modified construction, particularly of a'fastenercentering means and of a tool device locating means. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 5 5 on Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. 1, the tile T. a corner portion of which is shown, may be formed, for instance, of matted iibers as in the well known Acousti- Celotex tile. Such tile has a multiplicity of sound receiving perforations p distributed over its exposed face, including a small group such as lspecically indicated at a, b, c, and dclose to the corner and which are shallower than the others. The relationship in depth of the perforations is illustrated in Fig. 2.

The tool device, as shown in Figs. l to 3, comprises a body member I adapted conveniently to be held in the hand; the body being provided centrally of it with a. fastener-driving part 2 (hereinafter referred to for convenience as the tool) which may have a screw driver end 3 for engagement with an ordinary wood screw such as indicated at S, or a helical nail (drive screw) which is to be rdriven through the tile and into a suitable backing for the tile such as indicated in Fig. 3 at B. 'Ihe body may be non-circular for facilitating gripping of it in the hand, or knurled assuggested at 5.

At the outer end of the body are a pair of arms 6 which support tool-locating pins 'l and 8 parallel to the axis of the tool. One can be shorter than the other (pin l) and adapted to engage any one of the perforations a, b or c, and the other (pin 8) one of the perforations p, as in Fig. 2, to locate the axis of the tool directly over one of the shallow perforations b, c, or d. The longer pin 8 can be engaged with four different ones of the perforations p, and the body I then turned about the pin 8 as a, pivot until the pin 1 drops into a, b, or c; whereupon the tool becomes properly aligned with one of the shallow perforations.

Two of the four proper positions of the arms 6 are indicated, one by broken lines. Wider spacing of the pins from the tool axis could be used to align the tool with the perforation d only, if desired.

The tool 2 is supported slidably and rotatably in the body I as by easy tlt in a bore III at one end of the body and similar fitting of a shank portion I2 in a central bore I5 of a cap piece I6. The cap pie'ce may be threaded onto the body as at I 1. Iocated in a counter-bore 2li` of the body is a coil spring 2| surrounding the shank of the tool and `bearing at one end on the cap piece I B and at the other against an enlarged abutment element or shoulder 22 fastened to the tool 2 against axial movement thereon. The spring normally forces the tool end 3 toward the bore I0 in a direction tending to drive the fastener into the work. The outer end of the shank I2 is suitably formed as at 23 for engagement with a driving member or mechanism such, for instance, as the chuck of the 3 well known "Yankee" Wpc screw driver. The detent notches 2l and driving shoulder 2l arev adapted to cooperate with such chuck. The specinc nature of the shank end is unimportant, since any type of driving means can be used to operate the tool 2. In the form shown, compression of the spring limits the outward or retracting movement of the tool in the body I.

From the above, it will be seen that with the tool 2 withdrawn to the position shown in Fig. 2, the fastener, such Aas a screw S may be dropped in the outer end of the bore I I and then, upon rotation of the tool 2 and advancement of it toward the bore I0, the end 3 will become engaged with the slot in the head of the screw to enable the screw to be turned and forced endwise to drive the` screw into the work. When the screw has advanced so thatits head is seated in the bottom of the perforation b as shown in Fig. 3, then the abutment element 22 engages the inner end 21 of the counter-bore 2l and prevents further driving of the screw, thus limiting the fastening force of it. At this point the screw has been advanced out of driving engagement with the screw driver. This same limiting will occur on the remaining three corners of the tile so that all four corners are attached with the same force. The actual location of the limiting stop depends upon the positionv at which the screw head is to be seated in or against the work. The stop can be made adjustable in any appropriate manner (not shown). A threaded collar on the outer end of the shank I2 adjacent the formation 23 could serve as an adjustable stop by engagement with the cap Il. s kli'rominspectionoflig..litwillbeseenthat atitsinnermostpositionthescrewdrivertips ofthetoolzproiects theendofthebors and into the hole in the work' or tile T. The ea:- tent to which the driving tip 3 proects beyond theupperlaceofthetoolbod .whichisshown as incontactwiththefaceofthetilehasacriticalrelation tothedepthofaperforationorsocketsuchasatb. Thethicknessorheightofthe screwhead,plusthedistaneetowhichthetip3 projects beyond the surface of the work, is such thatwhenthescrewheadreochesthebottomof the perforation, the tip 3 is so nearly (relatively) withdrawnfronrthe.screwslot,byrcilsonofthel arial advance ofthe-screw, that it will not drive the screw any farther.v

Preferably, the abutment element 22 comprises an anti-friction thrust'bearing, such for instance. as shown in Pig. 3, wherein a series of balls Il are retained in races. ofbearing ring members 2| and I2 which are held in position on the tool 2 as by engagement of one 'of the bearing members with a shoulder ll, and of the other with a collar Il fastened as by an'appropriate pin to the tool 2.

fasteners, or screws, into the tile or slabs with the same force results from my unique arrangement, whereby when the azialmovement of the screw driver is arrested by the stop, the screw is literally driven o# from the driving tip at the instant when the screw head becomes seated.

The mechanical arrangement of the rotatable axially movable screw driver element extending through and rotating in a bore slightly larger than the screw head, and the element being of a length sufficient to project the tip a predetermined distance outside of the bore and beyond the surface of the work, permit an operation unique in such devices. As above indicated, first the screw is dropped into the bore and has its slot engaged by the tip 3. This occurs as the screw driver tool or shaft is rotated in contact with the screw head. In practice the shaft or shank 12 may be spinning when the screw is dropped into the bore, or at the beginning of such turning, the tip engages and "picks up the screw starting its rotation. Arial movement now may cause the driving of the screw luntil its head is seated in the bottom of the hole in the work, which is in alignment with the bore, the alignment of the screw carrying bore and the hole having been eected by placing the members 7 and 8 into adjacent holes or perforations a and p.

Such a screw head being ordinarily a round head, as shown, the tip 3 twists itself free from its last slight engagement without distortion of the screw head and yet has sufficient last instant engagement that the desired firm seating of the screw is obtained.

The precise instant of release is intended to be illustrated in Fig. 3, where evenaslight partial additional turn of the screw S will axially advance it beyond and out of driving engagement,

and the continued turning of the tip and screw driver tool will no longer turn the screw but will rotate ineectively with relation to the screw head until withdrawn. 1

In practice there is some minute distortion of the edges of the screw slot near the center of the head, which is of no consequence and does not so disturb or distort the screw slot that the screw cannot be later removed with an ordinary hand screw driver.

From the foregoing, the importance of the relationship of the distance which the driving tip may project beyond the bore with relation to they hole or perforation in Lthe work, .and which may be adiusted and precisely determined by the stop, and whereby a screw in the bore may be engaged by the slotted head and be driven'I effectively out beyond the bore and be seated with the desired force or tension, constitutes a unique and most efective arrangement for accomplish- Builicient clearance is provided between the plane 00 of the shoulder zand the near end of the collar Il adjacent. the bearing ring Il so that the bearing can always turn freely. With such antifriction bearing limiting the outward movement of the tool 2, there will be nowear on the abut- 05 ment stop, such as 21, provided to limit the advancement of the tool end, and no appreciable resistance to iree rotation at any time.

[It will be apparent that a device constructed asdescribedcouldbeusedtodriveanysortof 70 nail and limit the fastening force thereof. The end portion of the tool would ordinarily be modified in accordance with the fastener with which to be used] e The attainment of the object ofdriving'the .75

ing the obiects stated. Y

The positioning of the body of the tool, aligning its bore with a socket or perforation to receive the screw, while egectively-limiting the axial movement of the screw driver without defacing the surface against which the Atool body rests, are of importance in the rapid and eglcient applicationof screws to perforated acoustical tile.

Thus, the essence of my invention comprises the means for locating the tool to align the screw receiving bore with an opening and the provision of the stop on the screw drivingelement to accurately limit the arial advance of the screw driver with relation to the face of the work...

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate, particularly, an arrangement for centralizing the fasteners, as

when the heads thereof are large in proportion to the shanks, or whenever required by the nature of the work. As shown, a modified locating member 40 is shown on lthe end oi' the body la for engagement with a socket or depression 4| in the member to be fastened, which socket receives the head of the fastener in the nal position of it. The member 40 may comprise a conical extension of a sleeve "secured to the headas by threads 43.

Radially positioned bores 45 spaced 120 about the axis of the tool may support spring-pressed centering members for the fastener `S, such as steel balls 41 arranged relative to the fastenerreceiving bore I as shown in Fig. 5. The balls4 can be limited in their inward movement as by constricted portions of the radial bores as at 48. Suitable yielding means for moving the centering elements 41 into operating position may comprise a single coil spring 49 in a circular recess 5D intercepting the bores 45 in the plane of the centers of the balls 41; kthe ends of the coil -spring being detachably secured together as at 5|.

It will be apparent that when placing the fastener in the tool device, the head of the fastener pushes the balls 41 outwardly, and that when the fastener is then moved or dropped into engagement with the working end of the tool 2, the shank will be held centered; and also that, as the tool is advanced, the head of the screw again pushes the balls back out of the way of the head to allow the latter to pass out of the bore toward the work.

I claim:

1. A device for driving a screw headed fastener into one of a number of prearranged spaced sockets in the work, said device comprising a body adapted to be grasped by and supported in one hand of an operator, said body having a screw driver tool slidably arranged therein. and [in it, a bore-in] the body having a bore adapted to receive an elongated fastener substantially entirely therewithin and to guide the screw head 'into cooperative engagement with the screw driver tip [one] end of the tool, and short pins on the body parallel to the tool axis and diminishing in cross section toward their extremities, and

extent adapted to abut the work, said surface,

extending in a direction substantially perpendicularv to the axis of the-tool, and means comprising spaced rigid locating pins projecting beyond said surface to [engage] fit two of said spaced sockets in the work in a manner to locate the tool in proper position relative to the Work, [a bore in] the body having a cylindrical bore the diameter of which is substantially the same as I that of said sockets and adapted to receive a fastener for cooperative engagement with one end of the tool, and said tool being arranged to rotatably project through said bore, and abutment means on the body and tool to limit the forward movement of the tool relative to the body, whereby, when said surface is held in abutment with the work at each position at which fastening is desired, each fastener will penetrate (the work Yto the same depth irrespective of the driving force applied to the tool.

3. A device for driving a screw-headed fastener into one of a number of prearranged spaced sockets in the work, said device comprising a body y vinto cooperative driving and turning engagement with one end of the tool, and short pins on the body parallel to the tool axis and'diminishing in cross section toward their extremities, said pins being arranged for selective engagement with a plurality of said sockets in theA work in a manner to align thetool with the bore and fastener therein with another one of such sockets, and cooperating relatively rotatable shoulders on the body and tool coacting to arrest the' axial driving movement of the tool while continued turning advances the screw fastener out of driving engagement with the tool, said bore being of a dia-meter substantially the same as that of the sockets engaged by the pins.

4. A device for driving an elongated headed fastener in the form of a slotted-head screw into one of a number of prearranged spaced sockets in the work, said device comprising a body adapted to be grasped by and supported in one hand of an operator, said body having a tool slidably and rotatably arranged in it, and having a screw driver tip, the body having a bore adapted to receive said elongated fastener substantially entirely therewithin and to guide the head into cooperative engagement with the screw driver tip of the tool, and short pins on the body parallel to the tool axis and diminishing in cross sectiony toward their extremities, said pins being of a maximum diameter-substantially equal to said bore and spaced for selective engagement with a plurality of said sockets in the work in a manner to align the tool with another one of such sockets, said body having a shoulder and said tool having a stop member adjustably fixed thereon for rotatably engaging the shoulder and acting to arrest axial movement of the tool while permitting continued rotation thereof.

5. A device for driving a slot-head screw into one of a number of prearranged spaced sockets of uniform diameter in the work, comprising a body adapted to be held in the hand and having a tool in the form of. a screw driver element slidably and rotatably arranged in it and having a driving tip, said body having a surface of considerable extent adaptedto abut the work, said surface extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the screw driver element tool, and spaced vprojections extending from said surface to engage the sockets in the work in a manner to locate the-tool in proper position relative to the work, said body having a bore of a diameter substantially the same as that of the sockets in 'the work adapted to receive a screwfastener for cooperative engagement with the tip of the screw driver element and adjustable abutment means on the body and screw driver element, said means having coasting relatively rotatable surfaces tovlimit the forward movement of said element relative to the body, said element being of such a length that its driving tip, may project into a socket to a `predetermined depth awarding to tneposmon o; the abutment,

the same depth irrespective of the driving force applied vto the tool.

MANLEY R. PRICE.

REFERENCES CITED I The following references are of record in the patented 111e of this patent or the original patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 568,932 Wilcox Oct, 6, 1896 734,204 Voss" July 21, 1903 1,023,021 Lagarde et al Apr. 9, 1912 1,079,650 Jordan Nov. 25, 1913 Number Number 8 Name Date Polkowskl Apr. 10, 1917 De Brown Apr. 3, 1923 Peyer June 5, 1923 Foy Nov. 11, 1924 -Stansell May 26, 1925 Bresser Aug. 24, 1926 Hanson Oct. 18, 1927 Black et a1. Jan. 22, 1929 Nash May 13, 1930 Herman July 1, 1930 Velepec Feb. 10, 1931 Levedahl Nov. 17, 1931 Davis Dee. 11, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Datev France Dec. 7, 1912 Germany Apr. 13, 1928 Great Britain' .I an. 1s, 1934 

